Marc Potts take a brilliant win the Shay Elliott Classic in Co Wicklow on Sunday afternoon after an action packed race against a really quality field (Photo: Stephen McMahon)
By Brian Canty
Marc Potts took the biggest win of his career yesterday with a brilliant two-up sprint victory over impressive breakaway companion Craig McAuley in the main event at the Shay Elliott Memorial Classic.
The 24-year old Neon Velo rider had been out front all afternoon in a series of leading combinations.
But after the descent of Glenmalure he broke clear with the Caldwell Cycles man and they collaborated extremely well to go all the way to the line.
Potts said he was feeling good about a result all week and it’s given him big confidence ahead of the An Post Rás which gets underway in six days.
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“You want to win it but so many things have to come right for you on the day. It doesn’t even matter if you’re in good shape, many things have to happen for you on the day."
Marc Potts had the quicker pair of legs at the end of the Shay Elliott Memorial in Wicklow yesterday. The Neon Velo man just edged Craig McAuley (Caldwell Cycles) at the end of a cracking race in sweltering conditions (Picture: Sean Rowe)
The first 30 to 40 minutes saw some ferocious racing in Wicklow but no group really managed to get any daylight on the bunch.
It was only when Potts, Niall Clarke (ASEA-Wheelworx), Conor Hennebry (Aquablue) and Paul Kennedy (Newcastle West CC) escaped that that group finally pulled clear.
“We stayed away for two loops (of three) when a group came across on the third.”
Those chasers were David Hamilton (North Down CC), Eoin Morton (UCD CC), Ronan O’Flynn (Orwell Wheelers) and Bryan McCrystal (ASEA-Wheelworx).
Potts is followed carefully by Bryan McCrystal (ASEA-Wheelworx), David Hamilton (North Down CC) and Conor Hennebry (Aquablue) in the latter stages of yesterday's Shay Elliott Memorial Classic. (Picture: Sean Rowe)
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“Hitting Glenmalure we had a minute on the bunch, our split going over the top only to come back together on the descent.”
“Then there were five of us and we started playing about,” continued the winner.
“ASEA-Wheelworx and Aquablue were coming across and our group was not working that well.
"So with 20 kilometres to go we were around 15 of us, with three each of ASEA-Wheelworx and Aquablue.”
Potts knew he was outnumbered so he took a chance and followed McAuley when he attacked.
“Nobody did anything (to respond) and for the last 15 kilometres it was just me and him.
“I think Bryan McCrystal was trying to bring it back but everyone was so dead nobody could do anything. Craig was trucking and I was feeling good so we stayed away.”
Once Potts and Craig McAuley got clear it was all over for everyone else as far as taking victory was concerned (Photo: Stephen McMahon)
Potts would take the sprint as expected and the result confirms his form is where he wants it to be, or at least somewhere close to it.
“I think I’m going better than I thought I was. When I came home from Majorca I wasn’t going that well, I was tired.
“But my coach David (Muntaner) has given me some really specific stuff and this week I started feeling better.
“If I can feel good for the Rás that’s the main thing, this result has given me motivation now for that.
“Yesterday was the best ride I’ve ever done. I felt like I was a different level.”
His plan for the Rás is just to be as aggressive as possible and see what happens.
“I know I can do something this year. I don’t think we can defend yellow jersey in our team so it’ll be about trying to get up the road and getting a result.”
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